Archer, the superly awesome super secret agent for ISIS is back for a second season in Adam Reed’s remarkably entertaining animated series ARCHER, returning to FX on Jan. 27 at 9 p.m. For those not in the know, Sterling Archer (H. Jon Benjamin) is James Bond, only a little more awesome (in his own mind) working at a super-secret agency just like the CIA, only run by his mother and populated by the most delightfully dysfunctional group of agents and support staff that ever thwarted evil. His now ex-girlfriend Lana (Aisha Tyler) and fellow secret agent is not the most supportive member of the team, of course, but life is never perfect for Archer.
Season Two opens up with things a little dreary at ISIS. They are a tiny little itty bitty bit in the red. Maybe more like they haven’t posted a profit for the last 15 quarters. Facing this Archer’s mother, and agency head, Malory Archer (Jessica Walter), has a most cunning plan for getting the money to fix things. Of course, she has to have a new set of books and Cyril (Chris Parnell) is the sex addict to cook them. Do things go well? Um… Things go interesting.
That’s the thing. It’s always interesting at ISIS. The agents from ODIN make a play for ISIS, apparently the head of ODIN has carried a bit of a torch for Malory for years. Archer is horrified by the idea and calls on the best psychotic, LSD using replacement for Bond’s “Q” ever to help him foil the plot.
From there, the plot pot gets thicker and thicker. Poor Archer, juggling being a super awesome super-secret agent with all these diversions cropping up. It’s almost enough to drive a man to drink and irresponsible behavior. Oh, wait, yeah. He’s done that, and maybe a night of that comes back to haunt him. His faithful butler seems to have been part of a tontine, which inspires the rest of the staff as well. And there is a moment where he actually considers doing the right thing. A moment, this is Archer after all, and even when facing eco-terrorists in an ecologically delicate area, Sterling Archer is pretty much about Sterling Archer.
Archer is at its very best when it is deep into an episode and tosses in an off the wall twist. The great thing about animation is they can do this easily without blasting a hole in their special effects budget. The nice thing about Archer is that though they have that “cartoon” ability, they keep it pretty much within the scope of what real actors could manage. (I said pretty much.) From bunnies, and babies, Soviet sleeper agents (the KGB still exists) to Lana’s ex popping up in a swamp, Archer is a must see from beginning to end.
I think I saw a couple episodes of season one in passing. I remember laughing a little, but it didn’t really register. Now, I plan on going back and watching them all. Archer is hysterically funny, bawdy actual situational comedy. What do I mean? I mean the writers take the time to set up a situation and make that the funny selling point, they don’t rely merely on off-color humor or pointless ranting. That is the charm of the show. The situational nature of the comedy. It keeps you glued to the show to the point that you won’t want to look away. I didn’t. There’s not just one punch line either, the show doesn’t build up and just give you one moment. No, there’s a series of moments that keep you laughing and each peak is a little higher until when they hit you with the last one you’re reeling.
Season Two of Archer is close to being utterly brilliant. Every single episode of Season Two had me laughing so hard I was crying. The characters are memorable, the shows are good enough to want to go back and watch a second time, and believe me that doesn’t happen very often. The humor is definitely adult, and not just because of content, but because of, again, situation. It might take a little explaining in some cases for it to be funny to kids. This is the guilty pleasure type of show. The “put the kids to bed early and turn it on and enjoy it” kind of show. Don’t believe me? I had a chance to preview the second season, and you know where I will be on Thursdays? Tuned to FX watching Archer. Yes, it’s that good.
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